Wake Up! There Is No Way Carmelo Anthony Will Become A Detroit Piston
By Tony Fischer
Apr 6, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) walks back to the bench during the second half against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Miami won 102-91. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
In the 2003 NBA Draft the Detroit Pistons selected Darko Milicic with the 2nd overall pick. Carmelo Anthony was selected number 3 overall leaving a huge black mark on Detroit Pistons draft history. It was agruablly the biggest gafs in Joe Dumars career as Detroit Pistons General Manager.
Fast forward 10 years and Melo is a free agent. Having just opted out of his contract with the New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony will test the free agent market in his career in 2014. It just so happens Pistons have some cap space and a hole at small forward to fill on the roster.
But if your were dreaming about a Carmelo Anthony, Andre Drummond and Josh Smith front court you better wake up.
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The Detroit Pistons are not in the position under the salary cap to make a play for Carmelo Anthony in free agency. Additionally The Pistons might not be a team Anthony would want to play for based on the city.
Here are the details:
Not Enough Cap Space
After the NBA salary cap rises to the expected 63.2 million, the Pistons will have about $21 million in cap space. (This is assuming the departure of Rodney Stuckey, Charlie Villanueva and Greg Monroe).
Stan Van Gundy is actively trying to re-sign Greg Monroe and it would be nearly impossible to accommodate both under the cap without venturing into luxury tax territory.
Rebuilding Philosophy
Stan Van Gundy has said he is not chancing big names this offseason but instead looking to spend cap space on players who can help him win now and in the future.
"“I’ve had the good fortune to be around a lot of them, and they’re not winning players because they’re the most talented guys,” Van Gundy said. “I had Udonis Haslem in Miami and he’s still helping teams win championships. He’s a good player but he’s not the most talented guy in the world. I had a lot of those guys in Orlando — Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick — who help you win a lot of games, and they’re very good, but they’re not the most talented guys. But they’re winning guys.”"
It seems Van Gundy is looking for role players rather than superstars. That certainly rules out Carmelo Anthony who will be looking for a superstar salary and treatment.
Location, Location, Location
Carmello Anthony told NBC Sports that location will be a big factor in choosing his new destination. Detroit might not fit his criteria.
"“[The average fans] don’t take into consideration the family aspect of it. Your livelihood, where you gonna be living at. Do you want your kids to grow up in that place, in that city? Do I want to spend the rest of my career in that situation, in that city… My son goes to school, he loves it here [in New York], to take him out and take him somewhere else, he has to learn that system all over again, he has to get new friends, and I know how hard it was for me when I moved from New York to Baltimore at a young age.”"
Michigander’s know the Detroit Pistons don’t actually play in Detroit and in fact most athletes and celebrities that call “Detroit” home usually do so from a comfy mansion in the suburbs. But without knowing that, Carmelo could rule out the Pistons based on the city’s reputation.
So all things considered Carmelo Anthony probably won’t be a Piston. But if players who take bad shots and play poor defense are your thing, you still have Josh Smith.